Abstract
This paper reports two preliminary studies on interpersonal influences in CFS. The first study explored histories of abuse in patients with CFS and the second report assessed fatigue activity level and relationship satisfaction in CFS patients. The results of the first study indicated that the patients with CFS reported high levels of prior abuse compared to prior experiences of healthy controls. In the second study, higher levels of fatigue were moderately correlated with inactivity for CFS individuals in satisfied relationships, but not among patients in dissatisfied relationships. These findings suggested that solicitous partners may be inadvertently reinforcing disability. The results of the two studies support a biopsychosocial model of CFS.